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Who will you tell that you are having WLS?



Who are you telling that you are having WLS?  

104 members have voted

  1. 1. Who will you spill the beans to?

    • Everyone who will listen! I want the whole world to know.
      4
    • I plan on telling anyone who might be interested, or asks how I'm losing weight.
      29
    • I might tell a few select and close family and confidante's.
      56
    • It will depend how I feel that day.
      3
    • The secret's safe with ME and my Dr!!
      12


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Honestly!! I don't want the neighborhood woman to judge me when the have no idea what it is like to be heavy and them to think it is the easy way out. Only my kids and husband know, family like my brother and sister would try to talk saying I'm fine and they love me just the way I am. Well I don't and it's my body and I want this for ME!

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Everyone I feel comfortable with sharing personal information with.

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sorry duplicate post

Edited by Kindle

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I've only told a few family members, a few friends and a handful of random strangers.

I'm not embarrassed or ashamed, and I am not afraid of being judged.

I am a mom of two brilliant, beautiful kids. I've been married to the same man for 20 years (and two weeks!). I own a successful business that I am recognized nationally for. I recently authored a book. I volunteer in an abused women's shelter and I teach women's self defense. I recently earned my black belt and go for my second Dan in July. I zumba, I do mud runs, I kayak and swim. I survived a lemon sized brain tumor and I run a support group for people experiencing the same.

I have so many more interesting things going on in my life than being a former fatty and a WLS patient. I don't feel the need to advocate, educate, and explain. I am more that my former weight, my current weight, my clothing size. I don't want my life to center around how I lost weight and advising people how they can lose theirs. I made a personal decision to correct my issue and who I share it with is also personal.

Forgive my wall of text and the repetition of my words above if you've heard them before. I'm not dishonest, I'm not a liar (as I've been called here in the past), I'm not a coward. No one should be bullied or shamed into sharing this decision and that's how these threads always seem to go.

If I can stop that here, fabulous. If you want to attack my character for my choice, have at it. My panties are smaller than they used to be, but they are still big girl panties. ;)

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Well said LipstickLady. I feel much the same.

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I told people who knew me that I was having surgery. People at work were going to figure out something was up when I was out for so long. Rather they knew the truth than make something up like a dread disease. I got nothing but support from family and friends and work associates. I think it would be a shame to cut yourself off from all the potential support. It anyone thought I took the easy way out, they didn't say so. If they had, I'd know they didn't deserve to be my friend. It's been more than 3 years since the surgery and I still let people know if appropriate. Still not one negative reaction.

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Just goes to show that we're all different. I'm a very private person and in any case think it's boring to go on about your own health problems, especially to vague acquaintances. I'm not remotely bothered what other people think - I just think it's none of their business. When I had breast cancer I told very few people. Unlike those who like to reveal their bald heads in public in order to get sympathy from total strangers and play the 'cancer card', I bought a very realistic wig and all through treatment carried on as normally as I could, so only people I'd told noticed that anything was wrong.

Still, that's just me. I've never participated In general 'diet talk' - my personal view is that people should just get on and do it rather than talk about it! That's not to say that I haven't appreciated this forum as other people's experiences here in a specialist forum can be relevant and helpful - but the opinions of 'the general public' are mostly irrelevant and misInformed.

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Just goes to show that we're all different. I'm a very private person and in any case think it's boring to go on about your own health problems, especially to vague acquaintances. I'm not remotely bothered what other people think - I just think it's none of their business. When I had breast cancer I told very few people. Unlike those who like to reveal their bald heads in public in order to get sympathy from total strangers and play the 'cancer card', I bought a very realistic wig and all through treatment carried on as normally as I could, so only people I'd told noticed that anything was wrong.

Still, that's just me. I've never participated In general 'diet talk' - my personal view is that people should just get on and do it rather than talk about it! That's not to say that I haven't appreciated this forum as other people's experiences here in a specialist forum can be relevant and helpful - but the opinions of 'the general public' are mostly irrelevant and misInformed.

. I'm a private person as well. I feel it's not anybody's business what I do to better my health and self. Especially Co-Workers, they just want to know your business so they can gossip about you.

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Told everyone. Family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, the girl that works at the gas station, my dentist you name it. Especially anyone that asks. It's a huge part of my life, and I am not ashamed. A couple family members were a little worried before (healthy fear from loved ones is okay) but overall it's been great! I also only keep empathetic and awesome people in my life. They trusted my judgement.

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I have told a few at work,most of my family knows except my Mom,I'm going to tell her with flowers and a card! My in laws know. I told my Dad before I lost him due to Complications of Type 2 Diabetes. He made me promised him to have this surgery no matter what anyone tells me and that he loves me! Those were his last words to me. I promised him and I told him I loved him. I didn't know he was so sick and dying he didn't want the rest of the family to let me know cause I was too attached to him.

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Ive only told my mom.. But she did tell some people.. Close friends and family.. I dont think i will tell any of my friends until after i have it and start losing.. Since im just starting the process i dont want to jinks it..

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I've only told a few family members and 2 friends - I've already got unwanted feedback from my mom so I don't want others negativity!

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No one. I told my little sister I was thinking about it and she wasn't supportive at all, so f'em!! Lol

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App

I've only told a few family members and 2 friends - I've already got unwanted feedback from my mom so I don't want others negativity!

I hear you. My mom has irrational fears and worries about everything!!

Edited by tinkershells

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I am having a very difficult time with this one~

My work supervisor knows and has been sworn to share with no one as I told her my concerns for anyone in my work

place to know my business

My loved ones know........their love and support are truly all that matters

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

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        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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